Just one of those proud parent moments I wanted to pass along. Went to the lake late yesterday afternoon hoping to miss the holiday boaters and as we got there it began to rain and I am thinking good the boats will leave and generally when it rains the water calms and it did. Put the boat in hooked up the boom and she jumped in with my old barefoot ski ( just a rear toe strap ). On the first try she went for about 2 seconds and caught a toe and coming back to get her with the boat I could see she had a big grin on her face and I said you know what to do now don't you, she said yes now hurry up let's go. Second time she kicked the ski and looked perfect, shoulders were square, back was straight, and knees bent she went as long as she wanted and let go. She was very happy to say the least and her mom and I were real proud of her, she did a great job. She went off the boom and she'll do that a few more times then she go to the 5' section and then behind the boat. I know alot of you have seen this before in your own kids the excitement and pride in a great accomplishment and now there are 2 barefooters in my family!!!

suedv

09-05-2006, 09:33 AM

Very neat. And you're right, it sure is fun to see our kids progress in their sports!

Mag_Red

09-05-2006, 10:05 AM

Congradulations! My daughter's first attempt off the boom resulted in a major face plant:( Hasn't tried since. So how old is your daughter?? ( can the smart @ss comments):D

chudson

09-05-2006, 10:20 AM

She's 21, a senior her at the Universtiy of Illinois. We will try and put up some pictures of the next round, didn't take the camera with us darn it all. She's a pretty good slalom skier and she does the tricks too!

mess33

09-05-2006, 02:02 PM

My 13 year old son tried it for the first time this weekend off the boom. He did not make it but he has the fever now. I have got him dropping a ski. Any pointers as to a better way. We have the BFI swing he has used in the past.

Mess

chudson

09-05-2006, 02:28 PM

Never used the swing, don't know anything about it but with dropping a ski to barefoot I told my daughter to keep her feet out in front so it almost looks like your sitting in a chair. She didn't do that first time, she dropped the ski and her feet came in closer underneath her body and she caught a toe. You know what I remember a post on this put up by Sporty I'll paste it here cause it's about as good of expaining dropping a ski as I've seen:

Originally Posted by Sporty
Well while I'm not Scarpa, I have been footing a long time. The way I try to teach folks is with a simple but effective visual and demo instruction. First, I don't put my front foot in the binder when getting up. I simply set it on top of the binder, heel placed against the heel-piece. It will stay from the tug of the boat. Since I drag a foot anyway to get up, my rear foot is ready to set down when I so choose (looking for rollers )Once I'm up, I like to get a solid 37 - 38 MPH (me at 210 pounds). That works just fine. Too fast and you're skipping on the water. Find a good speed to plant your foot and not have it skipping at 41 - 42 MPH. I get just outside of the wake and set the rear foot down on the water getting ready to step off with the front foot. Here's the trick (and try it yourself tonight at home to see what I'm talking about); Bend the front foot knee (that is still on top of the binder). Bend it extra and while the rear foot is about to plant or possibly may already be on the water). Bending the knee of the front foot will extend the rear foot / leg out forward in front of you. Prior to bending the extra effort, the plant foot is more-or-less "under" you and not in front of you. Bend the front foot knee and you'll see the rear foot go forward, (in lieu of trying to hyperextend the rear leg and only throw you off balance and accomplish nothing). Once you're almost squatting (not literally but in a sense of figure) then plant the rear foot, throw your shoulders back (a slight tug on the rope) and lift (not step) the front foot and set it forward onto the water beside the other foot. At this point the ski is gone. Do all of this in one smooth motion and you'll be good to go. Done deal.

Now what you'll find is that you're probably drowning.. LOL... If so, you know your feet are where they are supposed to be. Leave them there (out in front of you so to speak) and raise your head, shoulders and your upper body upward to breath. This is actually allowing you to develope your balance as you stay up and get out of the spray. It won't be two or three more tries before you're stepping off, standing up out of the spray and enjoying the ride.... Trick is to bend the front foot knee but the "purpose" of this is to get the rear foot out front (and not under) before you plant.

If you're falling forward, the feet are not out front enough. If you're falling backwards, they are too far out.

For those that may want to try footing, that's the ticket. You may be rushing it a bit but honestly the smooth motion I described in stepping off is supposed to be a rush!! Just make it smooth and one continuous motion instead of several part motions to get on the water. I think by keeping the front foot on top of the binder it is much much less distracting and less maneauvers compared to getting the foot back out from the binder, out of the heel piece, and then forward to set the foot down. Barefooting is probably one of the easier things to learn in my opinion. I like to wear short pants (jump pants) so I can slide out on my rear when I'm done footing.

Just practice a mental process and you'll learn quickly on the water...

For the lighter guys and gals 34, 35, or 36 MPH is plenty. However I do like a hot speed to foot on one foot.... I do all of this on a long line. Booms are not my thing. Long line footing.... Nothing like it....It's the real thAng

This is chudson back and I'm not real keen on putting up someone else's post and I hope he doesn't mind but that explains it real good the only difference is my ski has no front binding just a rear toe and I come up just like he said that as soon as the boat is put in gear there is enuff pressure to keep the front foot on the ski to take the back foot out cause I come out of the water draggin a leg. Goodluck

mess33

09-06-2006, 01:43 PM

Thanks for the help. I am printing it so can review it with my son. Will probably laminate it and keep it in the boat. I foot also but have never seen it described so well.

Mess

Archimedes

09-07-2006, 05:34 PM

What's this dropping a ski? I learned to barefoot holding on to a boom and being dragged on my stomach, sliding around to my butt and then standing up. I thought that was how everyone learned. No?

3event

09-07-2006, 05:51 PM

I learned as a teenager by stepping off, being pulled by a 15' Glastron with a 90hp. Took beatings. A friend busted his eardrum.

I vote for the superman start / tumble up learn based on recent years' experience teaching friends. Disclaimer: am no expert, for sure.

The only thing the step off gets me , is a chance to foot when pulled by friends with an I/O that lacks low end and topspeed. That happens maybe once/yr.

chudson

09-07-2006, 06:24 PM

Supermans a great way to start and I suggested it but she wanted to do it just like ole Dad learned. And I was like 3event was behind a MarkTwain learning the hard way or the only way I knew how by stepin off! As long as you can go on your barefeet being pulled by a boat either off the boom or behind the boat you can call yourself a barefooter and she is going behind the boat tomorrow afternoon after a few practices off the boom.

3event

09-07-2006, 06:30 PM

Congrats in any case, that's exciting! Nothing beats teaching the kds to enjoy. I am looking for more footers (than me) in our family. The 9 y/o says he wants to do it, but he just learned to 2ski, and I haven't untied the ski tips yet so he might be getting a bit ahead of himself!

But you GOTTA love the enthusiasm , and keep stokin' it!

chudson

09-08-2006, 01:03 PM

You want to try somthin a little different with your 9 y/o I saw this on Barefoot Central. Bring up this site and page down just over half way and it shows a guy with his son in front of him on the skis, it's a 4 picture frame and that looks like a neat way to try with a young one to me. What do you think?

http://www.barefootcentral.com/footin_photos.htm

peason

09-08-2006, 01:08 PM

Here is my 6 yr. old in barefoot handle off the boom. He only did it enough to get the picture taken. My 11 yr. old daughter just did a tumble up off the boom - but I don't have a picture. I yelled for him to extend his arms - I was afraid he was going to hit his chin on the bar. You need to make sure they gently place their feet in the water otherwise if they fly around if they jam their feet into the water.

krbaugh

09-09-2006, 04:13 PM

Congratulations!

This is when my son went for is first short line run

Laurel_Lake_Skier

09-09-2006, 11:27 PM

I've never seen it taught like that before......a great idea as long as the new footer is small enough.

chudson

09-10-2006, 07:41 PM

"krbaugh" that looks super, thanks for bringing the picture up that will be a great help to everyone!!!

krbaugh

09-10-2006, 07:45 PM

No problem that was a proud moment!
It gives the young one some confidence to have dad right next to them

Just make sure it is a small one and that you keep your skis wide
so you dont run over them in case of a fall